Developer Tools · VS Code Extension
Coding Session Tracker
A VS Code extension for understanding real coding behavior through session activity, debugging, file activity, and active coding time.
7 views · Last updated September 15, 2026
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Overview
A VS Code extension for understanding real coding behavior through session activity, debugging, file activity, and active coding time. Built with TypeScript, VS Code API.
The Problem
Time-tracking tools built outside the editor miss what actually happens during a coding session — how much time goes to active coding versus debugging, and which files actually get touched.
The Approach
- Built a VS Code extension using the VS Code Extension API and TypeScript to observe editor activity directly.
- Tracked active coding time, debugging sessions, and file-level activity as they happen inside the editor.
- Surfaced session data back to the developer to give visibility into real coding behavior rather than self-reported estimates.
Key Engineering Decisions
Architecture
Runs as a VS Code extension, hooking directly into editor and debug session events via the VS Code API.
Data model
Distinguishes active coding time, debugging time, and file activity instead of a single undifferentiated 'time tracked' number.
What I Learned
Self-reported time tracking and editor-observed time tracking rarely agree — the gap itself turned out to be the most useful signal.